The state's assault laws currently don't make a distinction between a bar fight and a wife or husband beaten at home.

"We'd have a much clearer picture of how much domestic violence is occurring in the state because we'd have one charge that is actually designated as domestic violence," said victim's advocate Amanda Grady Sexton.

Despite some concerns that the law would be redundant, prosecutors said it would offer a tool when a case makes its way through the courts.

"If we think that a certain act constitutes several different kinds of crimes, we can charge all of those," said Assistant Attorney General Ann Rice. "But the court will not sentence on all of them. They'll only sentence on one."

The law might not have saved Joshua's life, and his mother said she knows that. But she said she will continue to do what she can to help other families in similar circumstances.

After the Criminal Justice Committee makes its recommendation, the bill will go to the House floor for a full vote by the end of the month. The Senate passed the bill unanimously.

THROUGH PENNY PER PINNIE. THE GAS TAX INCREASE HAS ARTIE PASSED THE SENATE AND WILL NOW HEAD TO THE HOUSE FOR A FULL VOTE. EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY FROM THE MOTHER OF A NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS MURDERED LAST YEAR BY HIS FATHER. IT HAPPENED DURING A COURT ORDERED SUPERVISED VISIT IN MANCHESTER. TODAY'S BILL, KNOWN AS JOSHUA SLAW, PUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNDER A MICROSCOPE AT THE STATEHOUSE. -- KNOWN AS JOSHUA'S LAW. STEPS ARE PAINFUL AS IT IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF WHAT THEY ENDURED RIGHT UP UNTIL THE DAY THAT JOSHUA WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY HIS FATHER DURING A SUPERVISED VISIT IN MANCHESTER ON AUGUST 11, 2013. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I AM A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE REAL REASON IS BECAUSE MY SON JOSHUA IS NOT. THE LAW WOULD MAKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE A CRIME IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE HAVE A MUCH CLEARER PICTURE OF HOW MUCH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS OCCURRING IN THE STATE BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE CHARGE TO MET -- DESIGNATED AS AN ACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. PROSECUTORS SAY WHAT OFFER A TOOL WHEN THE CASE MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH THE COURTS. IF WE THINK THAT A CERTAIN ACT CONSTITUTES SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRIME, WE CAN CHARGE ALL OF THOSE, BUT THE COURT WILL NOT SENTENCE ON ALL OF THEM, ONLY ONE. THE REALITY IS THE LAW MAY NOT HAVE SAVED THE LIFE OF JOSHUA, AND HIS MOTHER KNOWS THAT. SHE KNOWS THAT FIVE DAYS AGO, HER SON WOULD HAVE TURNED 10. SHE WILL CONTINUE DOING WHAT SHE CAN TO HELP OTHER FAMILIES IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. MY SON AND I LIVED IT EVERY DAY. THE ATTEMPT TO CONTROL US WAS REAL. THE THREAT TO KILL US WAS REAL. WE LIVED EACH DAY WITH FEAR.